Button Gwinnett, Signer of the Declaration of Independence
BUTTON GWINNETT was born at Down Hatherly, Gloucestershire, England in 1735. His
father was a Welsh Clergyman. He came from a respectable family. Although they
were of modest means, thy afforded him an excellent education. Gwinnett moved
to Bristol, and became a merchant. At 22, he married and emigrated to Charleston,
South Carolina in the early 1760's, living there for two years before moving to
Savannah, Georgia. In 1765 he established himself as a general trader. In 1770,
he sold all of his merchandise and purchased a large tract of land in on St. Catherine's
Island, Georgia, where he devoted entirely to his plantation.
Prior to 1775, Gwinnett did not take an active part in politics. However, his
subsequent enthusiasm for maintaining colonial rights attracted the attention
of his fellow citizens. At the meeting of the provincial assembly held in Savannah
on January 20, 1776, he was appointed as a representative in congress and he
voted for and signed the Declaration of Independence. In February 1777, he was appointed a member
of the Georgia state government and is said to have furnished the basis of the
constitution that was later adopted. After the death of the president of the
provincial council, a Mr. Bullock, Gwinnett was appointed to fill the vacant
office on March 4, 1777. In May 1777, he was an unsuccessful candidate for governor
of Georgia. During the Revolutionary War Gwinnett's property was totally destroyed
by the British. At the time that he represented Georgia in Congress, Gwinnett
became a candidate for the office of brigadier general of the continental brigade
about to be assembled in Georgia. His opponent for the office was Colonel Lackland
M'Intosh. M'Intosh was appointed and Gwinnett, being unnaturally disappointed
and short of temper, was so embittered that he regarded M'Intosh as a personal
enemy from that day on.
Gwinnett became president of the Executive Council, and he adopted several
measures that were able to mortify his adversary, General M'Intosh. One of these
was the appropriation of great power by the Executive Council over the continental
army in Georgia. General M'Intosh was consequently treated with disrespect by
some of his officers and soldiers. To humble his adversary still further, Gwinnett
projected a expedition against East Florida giving the command of the continental
troops and the Georgia Militia to himself, excluding General M'Intosh from even
the command of his own brigade. Gwinnett's office, as president of the council,
prevented him from proceeding at the head of the expedition. The troops where
by Gwinnett's orders placed under the command of a subordinate officer of M'Intosh's
brigade. The expedition nearly failed and probably contributed to the failure
of Gwinnett's election to the office of Governor in May 1777.
The loss of the election to Governor blasted Gwinnett's hopes and brought his
political career to an end. General M'Intosh foolishly celebrated the disappointment
and mortification of his adversary. The animosity between these two distinguished
gentlemen continued to gather strength from this time on. Finally, Gwinnett,
unmindful of the high offices that he had held and of his obligations to society,
challenged M'Intosh to a duel, which was fought on May 15, 1777. They fought
at a distance of only twelve feet and both were severely wounded. Gwinnett's
wound proved mortal and on May 27, 1777, at forty-five years of age he died
a victim to false ambition and a false sense of honor.